Bhikkhu Pesala first practiced intensive meditation at a retreat conducted by Mr John Coleman in 1975, and ever since has dedicated his life to Dhamma practice.

After his ordination in 1979 under Venerable Mahāsi Sayādaw, he adopted the Sayādaw's method of watching the abdominal movements, and slow, mindful walking. He teaches meditation wherever and whenever he is invited.

He set up the Association for Insight Meditation (see external link below) with the help of Christine Fitzmaurice and David Glendinning in 1995 to support those who want to practice insight meditation seriously. The website contains a wealth of information related to the Dhamma, including Pali terms and names and numerous article.

Bhikkhu Pesala is the author of this web site and the Spiritual Director of the Association for Insight Meditation, which he set up in 1995 with the help of Christine Fitzmaurice and David Glendinning.

His first contact with Buddhism came through meeting two meditators who had practised the U Ba Khin meditation method with Sri Goenka in India. After an intensive ten-day retreat with Mr John Coleman, the author of »» “A Quiet Mind ,” he resolved to dedicate his life to the practice of insight meditation .

In 1976 he moved to Birmingham as the lay attendant of Sayādaw U Rewata Dhamma. For the next three years he drove the Sayādaw all over the country to visit his supporters and helped with cooking for vipassanā retreats and other daily chores. He studied the Visuddhimagga Sīlakkhandha and Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha with the Sayādaw.

He ordained in 1979 with Venerable Mahāsi Sayādaw as his preceptor, and Chanmyay Sayādaw U Janaka as the examiner. Later the same year, he went to practise intensive meditation for six months at Mahāsi Yeikthā in Rangoon. Altogether, he has been to Burma four times to practise meditation under senior disciples of Mahāsi Sayādaw, especially Chanmyay Sayādaw U Janaka.

He has edited many books by Mahāsi Sayādaw, Ledi Sayādaw, and other Buddhist monks and scholars. He has worked tirelessly for many years to promote the systematic approach to insight meditation taught by the late Mahāsi Sayādaw.

Bhikkhu Pesala has had to endure all kinds of difficulties over the years due to his wish to adhere strictly to the Vinaya rules, as practised by his most venerable preceptor. Many monks nowadays do not observe even the basic training rules for bhikkhus; they regard the monastic training as impractical in the modern world. Bhikkhu Pesala has opposed this lax and negative attitude throughout his life as a monk, and urges lay supporters to take a more active role in protecting the Buddha’s Dispensation from further decline.

Those who are unwilling to follow the training are causing the disappearance of the true Dhamma. The training rules were laid down by the Omniscient Buddha to preserve the sāsana for future generations. They were designed to protect a monk’s spiritual growth and long-term happiness, not to make life more difficult and painful than it is already. One needs faith to inspire faith in others.

The essential teaching of the Buddha is the Four Noble Truths and the last of these is the Noble Eightfold Path, which comprises morality, concentration, and wisdom. More than 2,500 years have passed since the time of the Buddha, and during this long time many traditional ceremonies and rituals have become embedded so deeply that it is difficult to see the original teachings. All Buddhists should study the teachings and meditate to develop their spiritual powers.

No Offence

- Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa -

150. Those monks who explain what is no offence as an offence work for the harm, unhappiness, and loss of gods and men. They make much demerit and cause the disappearance of the true Dhamma.

151. Those monks who explain what is an offence as no offence …

152-9. Those monks who explain what is a light offence as a heavy offence … a heavy offence as a light offence … a gross offence as not a gross offence … a not gross offence as a gross offence … a partial offence as a complete offence … a complete offence as a partial offence … a curable offence as incurable … an incurable offence as curable … work for the harm, unhappiness, and loss of gods and men. They make much demerit and cause the disappearance of the true Dhamma.

160-1. Those monks who explain what is no offence/an offence as no offence/an offence, work for the welfare, happiness, and benefit of gods and men. They make much merit and preserve the true Dhamma.

162-9. Those monks who explain a light offence as a light offence … work for the welfare, happiness, and benefit of gods and men. They make much merit and preserve the true Dhamma. (A.i.150-169)

Not Dhamma

- Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa -

140. Those monks who explain what is not Dhamma as not Dhamma, work for the welfare, happiness, and benefit of gods and men. They make much merit and preserve the true Dhamma.

141. Those monks who explain what is Dhamma as Dhamma, work for the welfare, happiness, and benefit of gods and men. They make much merit and preserve the true Dhamma.

142-9. Those monks who explain not Vinaya as not Vinaya, Vinaya as Vinaya, what was not said by the Tathägata as not said by him, what was said by him as said by him, what was not practised by him as not practised by him, what was practised by him as practised by him, what was not laid down by him as not laid down by him, what was laid down by him as laid down by him, work for the welfare, happiness, and benefit of gods and men. They make much merit and preserve the true Dhamma. (A.i.140-149)

Oakenholt Buddhist Centre was sold soon after the owner passed away. It is now a retirement home. It pleases me that the elderly can enjoy the peaceful surroundings that we did all those years ago. May the residents discover an interest in meditation during their final years.

...maybe worthy to rethink, clear frames of "frames to use this gift" -alternative to Dhamma-Dana's ways- maybe? How can someone remember the old ones?

Sadhu, for all this gifts also here in the future, maybe!

Thought of karuna to it, with mean while more practical Experiences in this parts of livelihoods:

How about the usual copyright ideas and its "Freedom" of Press pressure of the US? Where, the link where one post to a searched place where? appropriate page... in this cases or general, maybe thinking of CO2 and consummated use, what about Bhikkhus and monastics? Same, Same... many questions can always arise, outside the frame of reverences and the outside additional desires.

maybe whe also can test and maintain, this parts of the Forum/Monastery when it seems the proper time and skills.

Thanks to so many hints Ven. Bhnate Pesala, well meant, or just offered, indirectly, out of Compassion.

* Johann wieder here ending: the remembering of the name and email, seems to be a "browsercookie" only, no requests, in this are doneby SMF-Forms at such a stage, console, would give "known more then", if not Spam gate has been done, so remember either Name of Fake-emails, if you use such, thinking you generosity could be ordered easy later on.

"Furthermore, diseases are sometimes mind related, i.e. one may become sick due to stress or depression. Since meditation corrects the mental imbalance, any psychosomatic disorder will also be cured."

How about his health and meals, do anybody know about his incomes of that here? That was maybe a short extract: see in the middle part

* Johann : just got aware on DW, wondering not seeing him since a longer, and thought other might possible seach for him and his advices. For sure he could need certain help there, but not sure if Bhante is able to take given.

If you are a beggar it's propably the most annoying thing for one with much possession to reach out and give him some cent...

Althought the is a nice article about killing does not mean that a long time Vipassana-trainee is aware of mindstates and in such cases also not able to trace derived violations of precepts.

Currently, after having the thought that he might have good use of two books of his preceptor as well as his Nissaya, my person can not link you to the "killing" topic, being taken all life conditions after making an offering. But that seems to be pretty common under western "monks", such reaction out of poorness and macchariya .

So be careful not to give somebody something he is actually pride in the believe that he is independend of support and possible better stay where you are in regard of how you might be preperceived, meeting with a Brahman.

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa

...Then the Blessed One waved the hand in the air: "Just as, Bhikkhus, this hand is not hold, not seized, not imprisoned in the air, even so, Bhikkhus, a families approaching Bhikkhus mind, whatever, does not get hold, seized, nor imprisoned admidst families: 'Let those, being selfish and given to gain, be selfish and given to gain, let those, being given to merits, do merits', and what ever he gains he is pleased and joyful, so as with what others gain he is pleased and joyful, like this, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu ready to approach families.

"Kassapa, Bhikkhus, approaches families with a mind that does not get hold, seized, nor imprisoned admidst families (,thinking:) 'Let those, being selfish and given to gain, be selfish and given to gain, let those, being given to merits, do merits', and what ever he gains he is pleased and joyful, so as with what others gain he is pleased and joyful.

Gates (links)

Talkbox

This "wiki"-like backup tool is meant as a outwardy insurance that one does not be afraid that anything possible good can be desroyed or made bad while looking for cleaning it. So worry at all, kamma does not dissapear. No need to fear to make good deeds, knowing that.

I've recently fixed many words and sentences of the first post of the thread "Debts, but to whom?". It take me some time trying to figure out the meaning of some sentences. So it would be good if Bhante could check if the original intended meaning of the post still intact. I have a backup of the ori

Sounds like a good idea to rest. I will be taking a break from the internet for a while i feel detached a lot from the worldly feminisms and all. It is wonderful not to be lusting, walking the streets with lowered gaze, delighting in meditation... I fear it compromises me to even think about the pol

Marcel, Morits, Upasaka X, it's time to break up this auspicious coming in touch now also for my person. Observe, remember, how you have been yesterday an now and guess of what will be tomorrow probably... maybe just not sure.